Hole Profile: Tubac 16th a hole of Hollywood proportions

TUBAC, Ariz. - Think of the places a star the magnitude of Kevin Costner would hang out.

Hollywood, Vail, the Hamptons and…Tubac?

Yep. In fact, when the people producing “Tin Cup” went to film the golf scenes, they came to the Tubac Golf Resort in tiny Tubac, a town halfway between the cities of Tucson and Nogales.

“Our 16th hole is our ‘famous Tin Cup hole,’” Tubac golf professional Red Morrow said. “There’s a water hazard in front of the green that they put in especially for the movie.”

Costner, who shoots with a 12 handicap, was among one the stars at the Tubac Golf Resort when the scenes were shot.

“Miami Vice” star Don Johnson was also present.

“It was nice to have stars of that magnitude out on our course,” Morrow said. “Costner really doesn’t like to practice, but he’s one heck of a golfer.”

The 16th hole is a Par 5, 575-yard hole. An elevated tee empties onto a tunnel of trees into what Morrow describes as a “generous landing area.”

Good luck trying to get on the green in two shots. The lake, which sits in front of the green, will stand about 250 yards from the average tee shot.

“Most people will try to get on in three shots,” Morrow said, “It’s a pretty good three-shot hole. Some people will be try to get on it in two, but that takes two really good shots.”

Getting on the back-to-front sloping green is no easy task. A grass bunker lies to the right, a sand bunker to the left, and the lake in front make the 16th hole intimidating.

Ironically, Morrow wasn’t the golf pro at Tubac at the time of the filming. He was a professional at the Santa Rita Golf Course in Tucson, where another famous scene was shot.

“I was at Santa Rita, where the famous “shovel shot” was filmed,” he said.

In the movie, Costner’s character plays with a shovel as opposed to clubs. A part of the movie’s trailer, the “shovel shot” remains one of the movie’s most memorable scene.”

The Tubac Golf Resort is 42 miles south of Tucson off of the 19 freeway south towards Mexico. Off of the 40 exit, the course is located on Otero Road in Tubac.

Supposedly, the star of such movies as "Field of Dreams" and "Dances With Wolves" found Tubac charming enough to return.

"Kevin still frequents the area," Morrow said. "He plays a lot of golf still, but mostly in tournaments."

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